Logic, reason, education and skills matter when you are a leader
A major reason why Africa cannot compete with Asia is statistics. Half of our planet lives in China, India and the nearby locality. Also Asians are more educated, eager and work harder than Africans.
This is a reality and cannot be ignored. Many among us engage in naive and fanciful debates that add no value and then want to use emotions or allege racism etc. to sway a discussion. The truth is that most of Asia do not care about Africa as Asians have their own issues. Africans and Asians are not comrades because they were all exploited by western nations. Therefore Asians are no different to Europe or Britain when it comes to the future exploitation of Africa.
Africa has few friends and as long as Africans do not behave maturely, Africans will remain servants and enslaved. Africa must help itself and only rational, skilled and honest leadership can save Africa.
Africa’s historic relationship with Britain, Europe and the USA etc. is awkward. History suggest they are mostly racist and unjust in their overall interaction. Though we have limited historic interaction with China and Russia, their own past inhumanity towards their own people is well documented.
Thus Africans must look towards God and Africa for salvation since others are likely to only benefit themselves. This suggests that as Africans must be honest with ourselves and our future. We must be realistic about what is viable and stop talking about issues that has no material or actual value.
Example, our public spaces, suburbs and cities are over-run with vagrant camps and criminals who use homelessness as a cover for crime. Yet, whenever municipalities want to remove this ugly sites our efforts are over-taken in court by a handful that frustrates the hardworking tax and ratepayer.
Now we must ask, on whose side is the law and courts and if they protect the tax and ratepayers? Do they protect the “theory of law” or do they serve the interests of the vagrants and criminals?
How must we build a progressive Africa when we cannot move vagrants and crooks who defecate and urinate in public spaces? How must we save Africa when we cannot protect kids from criminals?
I suggest that politicians must stop talking about foreign investment etc. since the majority do not believe these dialogs. Foreign investment is in the same league as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
Finally, those who want to arrest Russian leader Vladimir Putin must ask themselves, is it not easier to arrest the drug dealers in Manenberg and Hanover Park etc. who are selling drugs for decades.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress